My journey as a West Coast transplant, living and learning in the South, on my ongoing quest to prove that a smart scientist can still maintain a little bit of style.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Thanksgiving/Birthday Celebrations!

It is awesome to have your birthday fall on your favorite holiday. Especially one that includes staying home from work, cooking and eating delicious food, and celebrating with friends. Spectacular. Here's the recap of our awesome day.

Trent (still in running gear) is eager to start cooking

We were up darn early to run in our little town's annual Gobble and Gorge 8k. It is an annual tradition. This year we had a big group of Stephen, my Boss, Tri-Prof, a couple other professors, and Trent and I. Trent and I were just going to cruise, and I was trying to get my boss to beat Tri-Prof, but when I realized he couldn't at mile 3, I blasted off and beat all of them, minus Trent and Stephen, those kids are tooo fast for me. I was happy to be enjoying running again so soon after the marathon and it was a fun and festive way to start the day. But darn chilly.

The brining bird.

We walked home and started getting ready. Trent takes the turkey very seriously, this year the 20 pound bird spent 24 hours in a herb/wine/brine solution and was cooked in a fancy baking bag. I had made cranberry relish (with orange zest and ginger), a pumpkin parfait, and cranberry bread the night before, and day of I made mashed sweet potatoes with apples, cornbread, and peeled lots of pomegrantes for the signature cocktails of the day. Trent made sourdough stuffing with sausage, smoked bluefish dip in honor of our dear Cape Cod friends, the gravy, and of course the gorgeous bird. We did some last minute cleaning and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Westminster Dog show.

Friends started arriving around 3 with even more food. We had four first year students in my program, our neighbors Stephen and Amanda, and dear Deirdre. A much more manageable number than the previous years, but still so so so much food. Lots of wine and conversation while we heated everything up and got ready to feast.

We had a great meal, lots of conversation and good cheer. Everything was delicious, from appetizer to dessert. We sat around chatting until late in the evening when we divided up leftovers and folks went home. Enjoy some photos!

Cocktails and Wine! And lots of pomegrantes!

The table setting. Simple but fun. I loved making the name cards.

So much good food!!

Decisions decisions!

Kyle fills his plate.

Darling Deirdre and I. This is our third Thanksgiving together and I am so thankful to have a friend who is a stylish smart scientist who appreciates a good dinner party as much as I do!

Stephen, the turk, Trent and Amanda.

Amanda and Blaire chatting on the sofa.

The whole gang (minus Trent taking the pic).

The view from my end of things.

A very full plate!

Deirdre made me awesome pumpkin chocolate birthday/thanksgiving cupcakes, I got lots of sweet presents and it was a great birthday celebration as well.

Folks cleverly turned their name cards into wine identify-ers. We are brilliant.

Even Sadie got dressed up for the event.

It was a great, very festive, event. We nursed our aching heads and over stuffed tummies this morning by drinking lots of ginger ale and watching "Singing in the Rain." The house is all cleaned, Trent is working in the yard on lots of projects, and I am a happy happy camper.

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes, I am so fortunate to have so many dear friends in my life, and for the chance to make new ones! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your friends and family.